Furniture-top construction



June 16, 1925.

1,542,138 D. E. HUNTER I FURNITURE TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 30, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 D. E. HUNTER FURNITURE TOP CONSTRUCTION June 16, 1925. 1,542,138

Filed Jan. 50, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P L I' v @W I FW Patented an, 16, 1925.

UNITED" ST TES PATENT OFFICE."

DAVID E. HUNTER, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHAW-WALKER 60., 0F MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

FURNITURE-TOP coNs'miucrIoN.

Application filed January 30,1925. Serial No. 5,691.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID E. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States of America,

and a resident of Muskcgon, Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Furniture-Top .Constructions, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in furniture top construction, and more particularly to a novel construction for the tops of desks, tab1es, and like articles of furniture having a flat top, and while its use is not restricted to any type or design of 'furniture it is especially desirable in metal office furniture, such as desks or tables.

In the making of metal desks, as well as wood desks, a recent innovation has been the use of linoleum or similar composition 'as the surface material, the same being laid over a sheet metal plate or wood'core. It is customary to carry the linoleum only to the edge of the plate or case, and to finish the edge with a band of wood or metal, or in the case of a metal desk, to flange the edge of 1 the case plate to form the sides of the top. In metal desks particularly, there appears to be an objection to exposed metal about the edges about the top of a desk, which is explained by the fact that a person has a natural distaste for cold objects, and this is the reaction when placing the hand on or in contact with the metallic edge of a desk.

Moreover, the ordinary construction presents the square edges and sharp corners that have alwaysbeen common in ofiice furniture, partly due to the fact that it is less expensive and partlydue to a tendency toward plainness infurniture of this type, when as a matter of fact, rounded edges and corners not only enhance the appearance,

but remove the objection of sharp corners and the attendant results of collision with persons and objects.

The purpose of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved construction for furniture tops and I have illustrated in'the accompanying drawings are-n ferred embodiment in.the form of a 'esk' to for a fiat top metal desk. I

n the drawings, a Figure 1 is a perspective view of one'corner of a desk or'table top, giving a general idea of the construction.

Figure 2 is .a "iew in vertical section through the corner of the top as taken on line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure3 is a view in horizontal section taken on line 33 of Figure 1-.

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section at any point along the edge and between corners of the top, such as at 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one corner section of thelinoloum as cut to fit around the edge of the core.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one corner of the metal core before the linoleum is applied.

Figure 7 p is a perspective view of the corner gusset plate.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of one of the corner caps. I

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a corner of the top with portions broken away to show the construction, and

Figure 10 is a sectional view of a modi- 'fied construction differing only in that a 'to form rounded edges 2,'semi-circular in cross section. In the blank, the plate would be greater in dimension than the top of the desk to allow for the rounded edges or flanges which form thesides of the desk top. Moreover, the corners of the blank plate are cut away, to form right angled notches 3 at each corner. Over the plate is laid a layer 4 of linoleum, or other suitable compositwn fabric this material being cut toa pattern of substantially the same outline "as the blank of the plate, with the corners cutaway as at 5, in Figure 5.. Cement 0r other ad hesive is used for applying the material to the core 1-, the marginal portions thereof being carried around the semi-circular flanges 2;:and cemented'thereto with its edgesterminating substantially fiush with the edges of I the core. v

The corners of the top are preferably treated by covering the notches by means of metal corner caps ,6, of substantially the I same sectional contour as. the plate 1', with I of the prolongations of side edges. The

- tending into place,

method of applying the corner caps to the top after the covering has been applied will be understood fromthe following:

At the corners of the core plate 1, and on the top surface of the inturned flanged portions Where they come together or are mitered, are triangular gusset plates 7, which are spot welded in place, the-apex of these plates projecting diagonally into the notches at the corners. At the lower edge of each corner cap is a tongue-like projection 8 exdiagonally inwardly and lying against the underside of the flanges of the p ate and beneath the extended end of the gusset plate 7. Passing upwardly through the tongue is a flat headed screw 9, with its head countersunk therein, k which passes through a hole 7 tapped in the gusset plate just above. By tightening the screw, the corner plate is drawn tightly and flush up to the corner. Before doing this, however, the corner edges of the linoleum are prepared to receive the cap. It will be observed that the side edges of the corner caps, slightly overlap the corresponding edges of the metal plate atthe corners, thus affording a foundation against which the cap can be tightly drawn. The linoleum by preference is not brought, up fiush'with the edges of i the plate, but is beveled or slightly undercut so t at a portion of the linoleum extends between the edges of the cap and the adjacent edges of the core plate. Hence, after the corner caps have been fitted in place, the edges of the linoleum are trimmed in the manner described, so that the caps are practically inlaid flush with the surface of the hnoleum, and by tightening the screws from beneath, the ca s are drawn down ti htly thus producing a per ectly smooth surface on t e top and edgesof the desk or table top. a In like manner, the underside of the linoleum is cut or trimmed so as to come up flush with the diagonally extending tongue 8 thereof, these being in the form of triangular notches 10 along the mitered edges as shown in Figure 3.

For the purpose of a pearance, the top edges of the caps are not rought to a point, but are cut somewhat diagonally along a concave or curved line at 11, the linoleum being trimmed to follow this curved line. Similarly thecore late may also be formed to provide a curve or oblique corner at the together at the corners,

'around and beneath caps secured at the corners of said apex'es of the corner notches 3 and 12 to correspond with the treatment of the points of the corner caps just above.

hese corner caps may also be of material other than metal, but are preferably of bronze or the like and not only serve to make the desk top ornamental, but are essential to the construction in that they permit the rounded corner as well as'the rounded edge to be curved out, and at the same time offer a protection to the linoleum at these exposed points. might be carried over-the edges and brought but being non-elastic it would be quite impossible to work it into the double curved formation that would be It is conceivable that the linoleum necessary to give the corners a round contour in vertical section As clearly shown in of wood may be used metal core formed as as well as in plan.

Figure 10, a core 13 in place of the sheet heretofore described.

In this construction the core would be solid the corners cut off but with sufficient maprovide an anchorage for terial retained to the corner caps.

Having set forth the novel features of my construction, I claim as my invention: 1. A top for furniture comprising a core,

a sheet of covering material laid over said f core with its marginal portion extending the edges thereof, and core and extending around the corner edges and inlaid flush with the edges and top surface of the covering material. I

2. A. top for furniture comprising a core having rounded edges, a sheet of covering material laid over said core with its marginal portion extending around and beneaththe edges thereof, and corner caps of rounded conformation fixed tending around the corners and inlaid flush with the ed es and top surface of the covering material.

3. A top for furniture comprising a flat rectangular core, having portions cut away at the corners, a sheet of pliable covering and havin its marginal portions carried around an secured beneath the edges thereof, and corner caps of non-pliable material anchored to the core and extending around the corner edges, the covering material being cut away at the corners to lie flush with the'edges of said corner caps.

4. A top for furniture comprising agflat rectangular core, having its corner portions cut away, and rounded edge portions adapted to extend beyond the bod of the article of furniture, a sheet of p 'able' covering material laidover the top surface of the core and havin its marginal portions carried around an secured beneath the edges thereto said core and exof, and corner caps of non'- liable material anchored to the underside o the core at the corners thereof, and extending around and over the corner edges, the covering material being cut awayat the corners to lie flush with the edges of said corner caps.

5. A top for furniture comprising a core of sheet material formed with rounded inturned flanges about theside edges, and notches at the corners, a sheet of a covering material laid over the sur ace of said core, its marginal portions being bent around the edges thereof with its edges terminating. substantially flush with the edges of said inturned flanges, and corner caps fitting over the corners of said core and anchored to the underside of said inturned flanges thereof, said covering material being trimmed at the corners to lie flush with the edges of said caps.

6. A top for furniture comprising a core of sheet material formed with inturned marginal flanges, a sheet of pliable covering material laid over the surface ofsaid core, its marginal portions being carried around the edges thereof with its edges terminating flush with the edges of said inturned flanges, and corner caps anchored to the underside of said inturned flanges, the corner portions; of said covering material being trimmed to lie flush with the edges of said caps. i 1

7. A top for furniture comprising a'core of sheet material shaped toform rounded inturned marginal flanges and right angled notches at each corner, a sheet of pliable liable covering material over the surface of said core,. its marginal portions being bent around the edges thereof with its edges 'terminating'flush with the edges of said inturned flanges, and corner caps fitting over.

of sheet material shaped to form rounded inturned flanges about the side edges, and notches at the corners, a sheet of pliable covering material laid over the surface of said core, its marginal portions being bent around the edges thereof with its edges ter minatin flush with the edges of said inturned anges, and corner caps fitting over the corner notches of said core and provided. with tongues extending beneath the flanges of said core in flatwise contact therewith, gusset plates fixecl to said flanges at the corners, screws passing through said tongues and anchored in said plates, said plates extending aroundiand over the edges ofsaid core, and the covering material trimmed to conform with the contour of said caps to provide flush surfaces at their contacting edges.

Signed at Muskegonthis 24th day of J anuary, 1925.

DAVID E. ,HUNTER. 

